Apple Has No Plans To Build A Touchscreen Mac, Says Software Chief

Craig Federighi, Apple's senior VP of software, told CNET on Thursday that the company has no plans to bring a touchscreen interface to the OS X ecosystem.

"We don't think it's the right interface, honestly," he said. "Mac is sort of a sit down experience."

He said it would be "awkward and uncomfortable" for users to continually reach out to their computer screen while sitting at a desk; the iPad and iPhone are much different in this way, since you're supposed to be using those devices while sitting in any position, or on the go.

"We've really focused on building the best track pads we can, something where it feels [like] your posture's relaxed, it's a comfortable machine to use," he told CNET. "And, of course, over the years we've experimented with all the technology, but we found it just wasn't good. ... We're not all that interested in building one."

Federighi has been pretty consistent on this front. In a January interview with Macworld, Federighi (along with fellow Apple execs Phil Schiller and Bud Tribble) insisted iOS and OS X will remain separate platforms, denying the possibility of bringing a touchscreen experience to the Mac, or potentially bringing a full version of OS X to mobile devices.

"[It's] absolutely a non-goal," Federighi said. "You don't want to say the Mac became less good at being a Mac because someone tried to turn it into iOS."

Well, there you have it. Apple's going to keep the hardware and software across its mobile and desktop lines separate but integrated. Still, hopefully Apple will take a few tools and features from OS X - like a true filing system, for example - and port them to the rumored jumbo iPad, which would make it a true beast in the enterprise.